Biology, BA

College of Arts & Sciences

Program Description:

Students majoring in Biology learn about the basic organization, processes and dynamics of the living world. The program of study provides students with a liberal education emphasizing the life sciences. The many subdisciplines of biology can prepare students for a wide range of careers and professional schools.

Career Opportunities:

Our present-day world offers unprecedented challenges and opportunities for those interested in the science of Biology.
The subjects of study for UNM biologists literally span the globe - from bacteria in the Antarctica, Yellowstone's hot
springs or New Mexico's deep caves; to parasites from Indian elephants or South American snails; to the immune system
of Australia's platypus; to the plants of southern Africa. Studies underway at UNM reveal patterns and processes in entire
ecosystems and watersheds, reveal the complexities posed by the 10,000 genes of the bread mold Neurospora, or use
the methods of computational biology to explore the redundancy inherent in genetic networks. World class studies of
southwestern plants, fruit fly development, fungal genomics, life history theory, biological scaling, and behavioral ecology,
to name but a few, are all underway here. The Biology Department is not just for researchers—it is also a great venue for
students to explore the mysteries of life (UNM Department of Biology website). A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required. However, many employers also require graduate
school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).